Court Dissolves Seven-Year Marriage Over Desertion By Husband

On Wednesday, a Jos Area Court sitting in Nassarawa Gwong, dissolved a seven-year-old marriage between Sumaiya Muhammad and her husband, Bala Usman, on the grounds of desertion.

The Judge, Ishaq Danjuma, in granting the request made by Ms Muhammad, said all efforts to reconcile the parties failed.

The judge ordered the petitioner to refund N50,000 only to the respondent, being the dowry Mr Usman paid by way of Khul’l (dissolution of the marriage bond at the wife’s instance) according to Islamic law and procedure.

Mr Danjuma further granted the petitioner custody of their children.

He, however, said the respondent is allowed to visit the children at appropriate times of the day without any hindrance.

Earlier, Ms Muhammad pleaded with the court to dissolve her marriage, saying that her husband deserted her when she was ill and staying with her parents.

She accused Mr Usman of failure to provide for the family for three years since she fell ill.